Pneumatic spring for vehicles.



No 850,180. v PATENTED APR. 16, 1907. V. H. PODSTATA 6x F. M. PREUGIL. PNEUMATIG SPRING POR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.12' 1906.

vide an efiicient substitute for p sired length suitab reach-rod "I, the opposite en UNITED PATENT OFFICE. VACLAV H.' PoDsTATA ANnggRANI M. PREUCIL, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. PNEuM-rlc'sPmNG Fon vEHloLEs.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 16, 1907.

To (1r/Z whom t may con/cern,.-

. Be it known that We, VAoLAv H. PoDs'rATA and FRANK M. PREUCIL, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, Coolr` county, Illinois,'have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Pneumatic Springs for Vehicles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Our invention relates to iin rovements in springs for vehicles; andthe o ject is to prothe usual metallic springs such as commonly employed.

This invention is applicable to ordinary vehicles or automobiles, but is of particular utility in connection with the latter.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section and sideV elevation of the parts of a vehicle-body, illus- Fi j. 2 is a cross-sec- Fig. 3 is a view of the same parts under pressure. A represents the sill of the vehicle-body. The same is made hollow or oval in cross-section, the particular shape being immaterial. Thev cavity Within the sill affords a housing for the pneumatic spring or cushion. B B represent the pneumatic cushions. In the lower side of the sill there are openings affording an entrance-space for plunger-heads C C.- 'In the particular form shown the plungerhead C is for the front wheel, while the plunger-head C is for the rear or driving Wheels.

D I) and D D are guide members arranged to hold the plunger-heads C C', respectively, in their proper alinement and position. These lunger-heads have a vertical movement, an their inner ends bear against the cushions B B, respectively. The inner ends of the plunger-heads may be rounded or suitably shaped to avoid cutting the cushions.

' The head ofthe e to aiiord. a suiicientsurface area to give the proper bearing nagainst the cushions, respectively.

E E are stems projecting from the plunger-heads C C', and F F are suitable bearings Acarried by the downwardly stems E E', respectively, for theaxles of the front and rear wheels. G is a bracket projecting downwardly from the sill A to a suitable extent and. affording means for ivotally connectin oneend of. a leading back to the front axle.

I is an intermediate bracket carried by the sill A, to which one end of a reach-rod J may lunger may be' of any derespectively,

also be connected, the opposite end being connected to the rear axle.

The cushions B B mayY respectively be made in any suitableway or manner and are arranged to hold air under any desired pressure, suitable valves K K being provided for the cushions. In the preferred form the cushions are provided with intermediate contractions, as 'indicated at L L', the pur ose of the same being to afford sufficient slac so that as the plunger-heads vibrate up and down against the cushions no undue strain in a longitudinal direction will be placed. thereon.

i illustrates a small band, which may be placed around the cushion at the contracted point to ailord one simple means for mechanically holding the cushion contracted, as shown.

The sill A is preferably formed of two halves divided vertically and longitudinally and riveted together, the edges being provided with suitable flanges, whereby the said halves may suitable fastening devices.

The cushion may be inserted by removing the outer half of the sill, or, in fact, they may be inserted through the entrance-space for either plunger-head.

Ii desired, suitable end partitions A A" may be employed withiny the sill to take the inner end thrust of each cushion B B.

If desired, the apparatus may be supplemented by the use of a suitable spring, 4as indicated at M, in which event a second bracket N would be provided. If a spring M were provided, the reach-rod H could be dispensed with. The chief function of such a 'sprnlg would he to check rebound, the -Inain wor being done by the aforesaid pneumatic cushions. When the springs erform the functions of reach-rods, it wil be seen that the reach-rods will vbe flexible.

What we claim L be secured by rivets or any other 1. In a vehicle, the .combination of an elongated sill hollow on its interior to provide a chamber, and provided at one end of the chamber with an opening, a horizontallyelongated cushion lying within the chamber and rhaving a portion of the cushion extending over the o ening, a piston bearing at substantially rif1r t an les against the extended portion of t ie ous ion, a guideway for the piston, an axle for the Wheels of the vehicle, and a stem connectin the piston with the axle, substantially as escribed'.

IOO

IVIO

' chamber, and provided at one end of the ton with the axle, substantially as described.

openingsl and bearing against the exposed 2. In a vehicle, the combination of an elon- I gated sill hollow on its interior to provide a chamber with an opening surrounded by depending Walls furnishing a guideWa a horizontally-elongated cushion within t e chamber and having a portion of the cushion extending over the o ening, a piston bearing at substantially rig it angles againstv the eX- posedportion of the-cushion and operable Within the uideway, an axle for the Wheels ofthe vehic e, and a stein connecting the pis- 3. In a vehicle, the combination of a sill hollow on its interior toform front and rear chambers, each'of the chambers having near its outer end an opening,- ront and rear pneu-l matic cushions within the chambers, part of each cushion extending over the o ening, front andfrear pistons operable Wit 1in the one of the unoontracte portions of the respective cushions, front and rear axles, and'steins connecting 'the front and rear pistons with therespeotive axles, substantially as described.A

4. In a vehicle, the combination of va sillhollow on its interior to provide a chamber and provided at vone end of the chamber With' an opening surrounded by depending Walls furnishing a guideway, a cushionwithin the chamber provided with a contraction intermediate of its length, a iston bearing against d) portions ofthe cushion and operable Within the guide'Way, an axle for the wheels of the vehicle, and a stem connecting the piston With theA axle, substan.-

tially as described.

VACLAV H. PODSTATAi FRANK M. PREUCIL. Witnesses:

R'. C. MITCHELL, L. VREELAND. 

